Newsletter

KU boasts 15-0 record

Kansas's Marcus Morris, right, drives to the basket past an Iowa State defender during last year's game in Ames, Iowa. Kansas won 84-61.

AMES, Iowa — The unsoiled nonconference record is nice and all, and probably deserves some small amount of celebration in some corner of the mind.

But this being college basketball, a sport that amounts to a six-game season at the end, and this being Kansas, a program which is measured almost exclusively by its performance in that six-game tournament, the Jayhawks aren't exactly revering their 15-0 nonconference record.

"It had its ups and downs," senior guard Tyrel Reed said.

Ups are blowout wins. Downs are close wins. Losses are utter fiascoes.

This is the mindset for No. 3 Kansas (15-0, 0-0 Big 12) as it begins Big 12 play at 8 p.m. Wednesday against Iowa State (13-3, 0-1) at Hilton Coliseum. That it has been the basic mindset of the last five KU teams (and probably more like the last 10) is something of a state-of-the-program commentary. Kansas has realistically considered itself a Final Four contender in at least parts of every season since at least 2001-02.

Even if that wasn't true when this season began — and it probably was — it certainly is now. After Sunday's win at Michigan, coach Bill Self cautioned against comparing this team to the one that won the national championship in 2008, then kind of did it anyway.

"That wasn't a good team, that was a great team," Self said. "I think this team that we have is a good team with a chance to become really good. But that team had so much experience and knowing how to finish games. This team's still learning how to do that. But there are a few similarities, but it didn't look as much like that team (Sunday). I've also got to be careful comparing to that team, because that's not fair to these guys."

That was the last Kansas team to complete an undefeated nonconference season (15-0). Self has said for most of the year this team was behind defensively, but the statistics only kinda, sorta show that.

After 15 games in 2008, KU was scoring 84 points per game, allowing 58.6 points and outrebounding their opponents by six. This team is scoring 84.3 points per game, allowing 59.7 and outrebounding its opponents by 8.3 boards. The title team was averaging 11.4 steals per game at the end of the nonconference season, against this team's 9.3.

Though the 15-game nonconference season of 2007-08, Kansas' opponents were shooting 38.1 percent. Through this one, they are shooting 36.8 percent.

"Statistically, we've been really good defensively," Self said. "But you know sometimes stats lie, obviously. But I do think we're getting better in that area, which to me is real important. Now that we're getting better there, we're not scoring as easily and we need to improve there too."

Kansas does still lead the country in field goal percentage at 52.5 percent, which, incidentally, is slightly better than the 2008 team was (52.1 percent) shooting at this juncture. But the Jayhawks on Sunday showed a susceptibility to Michigan's 1-3-1 zone defense. Iowa State favors man-to-man defense, but Self said the Cyclones have gone zone a little bit this season and wouldn't be surprised to see a dose of it Wednesday night.

"Kind of a matchup, 2-3 kind of look," Self said. "They may throw some stuff at us we haven't seen based on some recent games we've played. They may throw in something they haven't done much, but who knows?"

The Cyclones are also planning to unveil a statue of legendary coach Johnny Orr before the game, and have asked fans to all wear gold attire Wednesday night. So this is a big night for Iowa State and, Self thought, no big surprise it was happening with KU coming to town.

But that's all fine. Conference play has finally begun.

"The first season is important, but it's not nearly as important as the second season," Self said. "That's conference play. We're gonna have to play better than what we've played on a consistent level, especially to win away from home in league play."

Releford doubtful, Little available

Forward Travis Releford is unlikely to play Wednesday night after suffering an ankle sprain Sunday against Michigan.

"I think he'll be out a couple more days," Self said.

The timing is fortunate for KU, which took senior forward Mario Little off suspension on Monday. Though Self said that didn't necessarily mean Little would be playing much.

"Just because he's back in uniform doesn't mean he's going to play a lot," Self said. "Now it's up to me."

Little has entered a diversion program on two misdemeanor battery charges he received for an incident last month.